Method and device for securing an article to a container



April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Sheet of 10 Filed May 8, 1964 9w SQN C INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITECAR BY 0% M97642 ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet 8 of 10 I (\i E g cu o w 0 N 7 Q I o 2 2 EC. 0 l INVENTOR.

ALTEN E. WHITECAR W-(fi Var/I ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet 3 of 10 INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITECAR ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet 4 of 10 INVENTORL ALTEN E. WHITECAR Q wfiwfi ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet 5 of 10 INVEN'IQ'OR. EN E. WHITECAR TTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May 8, 1964 Sheet 6 of 10 FIG. 7

G) CO INVENTOR. LTEN E. WHITECAR ATTORNEYS April 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May 8, 1964 Sheet of 10 INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WH ITECAR ATTOR N EYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May 8. 1964 Sheet 8 of l0 I I96 '62 w 192 L1 Mifl'llfi 226 F l G. u.

ALTEN E. WHITECAR ATTORNEYS April 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3,440,116

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet 9 of 10 22 l4 l0 l I 4 1 KQT 28o INVENTOR.

ALTEN E. WHITEZCAR BY 14L. Rn 1 LL/ ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 A. E. WHITECAR 3, 0, 16

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ARTICLE TO A CONTAINER Filed May a, 1964 Sheet /0 of 10 FIG. 20

INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHlTECA R F 6. l9. BY g ,gwvwnm j,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3 ,440,1 16 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 US. Cl. 156-70 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a method and device for securing an article to a container and more particularly relates to a device providing means for inserting an article between a container and a label for retention therebetween.

It is frequently desired to supply an article along with a container which is accessible without the necessity for opening the container. Typical examples are instruction sheets, premiums, tokens, product samples and money. For purposes of illustration, the invention will be described as it relates to a bottle containing medicinal tablets with which it is desired to supply informative literature to be read by the dispensing pharmacist and not by the ultimate purchaser of the tablets. In accordance with this invention, an article such as a piece of literature can be removably secured to a container between the container and a label.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide for securing an article to a container between the container and a label applied to the container.

This and other objects of the invention will be made apparent on reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2A is a fragmentary section corresponding to FIGURE 2 showing the relationship of one of the lower finger cam followers and its associated cam;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 taken on the plane indicated by the line 55 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of one of the magazines of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the magazine of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of the backup finger of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of the mechanism of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 for separating a circular from the other circulars in the magazine;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of a portion of the stationary back up pad in the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view partially broken away showing the positioning of a circular just as the circular contacts the conveyor carrying the bottle;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical section transverse the conveyor of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing a circular moving into position between a label and a container;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical section taken transverse the conveyor of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing the circula'r just as it reaches the conveyor;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG- URE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a vertical section taken transverse the conveyor of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing the circular engaged between the label and the container;

FIGURE 17 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG- URE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a plan view of the cam controlling the article pickup fingers;

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view showing a bottle with a label applied thereto and a folded piece of literature retained between the label and the container; and

FIGURE 20 is a bottom plan view of a typical label used with the apparatus of the invention.

It is well known to the art to apply a label to a container, for example, by conveying the container past a rotating pneumatic drum holding the label with its adhesive side toward the container so as to permit the container to pick up the label at one end thereof and then rotate the container by means of a moving belt lying in a vertical plane adjacent the container to wrap the label about the bottle. Such apparatus is shown in FIGURE 1 where a conveyor 2 conveys spaced bottles 4 guided by side barriers 6 and 8. Labels 10 having adhesive on their outer sides are carried by the conventional pneumatic transfer drum 12 which projects through an opening in side barrier 6 to permit the transfer of a label 10 to each passing bottle 4. At the terminal end of side barrier 6 there is provided a rubber side belt 14 carried by pulleys 16 and 18, pulley being driven so as to move at a linear rate in excess of the linear rate of conveyor 2 by drive apparatus (not shown). Opposite belt 14 is a rubber back up pad 14A secured to a plate 14B. As discussed above, such apparatus is well known to the art.

As seen in FIGURE 1, a tnrrent apparatus 20 is provided to introduce folded circulars 22 which are stored in magazines 24 and 26 between each bottle 4 and its associated label 10 so as to secure a piece of literature to each bottle 4. Turret apparatus 20 is mounted on a frame 30.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, a gear 32 is driven by a shaft 33 which in turn is driven by the mechanism which also drives conveyor 2 so as to provide for a timed relationship between conveyor 2 and the turret apparatus 20. Gear 3-2 drives a gear 34 which is secured to a sleeve 36 (FIGURE 2) mounted on bearings 40 and 42 on fixed shaft 38 for rotational movement with respect to shaft 38. The speed ratio of gear 32 to gear 34 is 2 to 1.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, a cam 44 fixedly secured to gear 34 is engaged by a cam follower 46 on a bell crank lever 48 pivotally mounted as indicated at 50. A bracket 52 is pivotally secured at 54 to bell crank lever 48 and has secured thereto an extension spring 56 which urges cam follower 46 into contact with cam 44. A rod 58 is fixedly secured to bracket 52 and in turn is pivotally secured at 60 (FIGURE 6) to a bracket 62 secured to a slide 64 mounted on magazine 24. Slide 64 supports a manifold element 66 which is connected to a source of vacuum (not shown) by a line 68 and is provided with a suction cup 70 which is connected to the interior of the manifold by openings 72 and 74 and has a conventional rubber edge 76 (FIGURE 9). As shown in FIG- URE 9, a bracket 78 carries a pin 80 which pivotally supports a lever 82 carrying a fixed finger member 84.

3 An extension coil spring 86 biases lever 82 into the position shown in FIGURE 9. As best seen in FIGURE 6, extension spring 86 is connected to a pin 88 on a supporting plate 90 which carries a camming roller 92 adjacent lever 82.

As seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, standards and 102 mounted on frame 30 respectively support cross-bars 104 and 106 which in turn support a plate 108 which carries circulars 22. A side frame bar 110 is secured to plate 108 by means of machine screws 1 12 which pass through slots 114 and 116 in bar 110. A side plate 120 is secured to plate 108 by means of L-shaped brackets 122 having openings 123 to accommodate slide 64. A follower 124 has a roller 126 which rides on the upper edge of side plate 120 and is connected to a tubular member 128 slidably mounted on rod 130 which is secured to cross-bars 104 and .106. A weight 132 is connected to a chain 134 which passes over a pulley 136 and is connected to a bracket 138 secured to tubular member 128. This structure acts to urge follower 124 against the circulars 22 in the magazine. A stop member 142 secured to cross bar 106 engages one side of the most advanced circular 22. The other side of this circular is engaged by stop member 144 secured to a block 146 mounted on side bar 110. A leaf spring 148 engages the edges of the circulars adjacent side bar 110 as they approach the advanced position to urge them against side plate .120 to insure perfect alignment. Leaf spring 148 is secured to a bracket 150 which in turn is secured to side bar 110.

Magazine 26 is a mirror image of magazine 24 to facilitate the loading of the two magazines from a single station, corresponding parts being given corresponding prime numbers and not further described. One difference exists, namely slide bar 64 is pivotally connected to rod at 161 (FIGURE 4). As shown in FIGURE 5, rod

160 is pivotally secured to bell crank lever 48. Further, the suction cup and associated apparatus for withdrawing a circular from magazine 26 is identical with that employed with magazine 24. I

The vacuum lines 68 and 68' are connected to a vacuu line 151 (FIGURE 1) in which is placed a valve 152 (FIGURE 5) which is connected to atmosphere by a line 153. Valve operating rod 154 has a cam follower 155 biased by a spring .156 against a cam 157 on shaft 33.

The circulars 22 removed from magazines 24 and 26 on suction cups 70 are in turn removed from the suction cups 70 by finger structures which will now be described. Each finger structure has a finger 162 (FIGURE 11) secured at 163 to a ring 164 which in turn is secured to a sleeve 166 (FIGURE 2). A key 168 secured to sleeve 36 engages a key way 170 in sleeve 166 to provide for the rotation of sleeve 166 with sleeve 36 and yet permit relative vertical adjustment between the sleeves. Sleeve 166 engages bearing 172 which is supported on a flange 174 on sleeve 166 and flange 176 of cap member 178. Cap member 178 is threadably engaged by threaded member 180 which has a handle 182 for its rotation. The lower end of threaded member 180 abuts the upper end of shaft 38 at 184. A key 186 secured to cap member 178 engages a keyway 18-8 in shaft 38.

Each finger 162 has associated therewith a cooperating finger 190 having a leaf lower portion 192 (FIGURES 2 and 11). Each finger 190 is pivotally connected to a yoke member 194 secured to a ring 196 and passes downwardly through an opening 198 in ring 196 (FIGURE 2). Ring 196 is secured to collar 200 which in turn is secured to ring 164. In addition, ring 196 is secured to fixed posts 202 which in turn are secured to ring 164. Finger 162 is also secured to ring 196.

An extension coil spring 204, connected to each finger 190 and collar 200, biases the spring portion 192 of finger 190 towards the adjacent finger 162. Each finger 190 passes upwardly through an opening 206 in ring 164. While as thus described, the fingers 190, which are 90 apart, are identical, adjacent fingers 190 are operated by 75 different cams that is to say, one set of opposed fingers (180 apart) is operated by one cam and the other set of opposed fingers (180 apart) is operated by a second set of cams in order to provide for the necessary interaction with the two magazines 24 and 26. In the case of one pair of opposed fingers 190 which cooperates with magazine 26, each finger 190 is secured to a cam follower 210 which engages a cam 212 which is mounted on collar 218 and rests on a cam 214. In the other set of opposed fingers 190 which cooperate with magazine 24, each finger 190 is secured to a cam follower 216 which engages cam 214. Cam 214 is secured to collar 218 (FIGURE 2) which in turn is fixedly secured to cap 178 by set screws, one of which is shown at 179.

A pusher member 224 lies between each pair of fingers 162 and 190 and is connected to a rod 226 (FIGURE 11) which passes upwardly through an opening 228 in ring 196 and a collar 230 secured in ring 164. A yoke member 232 is fixedly secured to rod 226 between rings 196 and 164 and has the yoke end 234 in engagement with a post 202 to prevent rotation of rod 226. A sleeve 237 secured to rod 226 carries each cam follower 238 which engages cam 240 supported by brackets 239. Sleeve 237 is guided by a curved groove 241 in guide member 242 which is secured to ring 164. A cam 244 carrying a weight 245 (FIGURE 2) is pivotally secured to bracket 246 mounted on cam 214 and acts to force rod 226 downwardly adjacent the low portion 240A of cam 240 (FIGURE 11).

Referring to FIGURE 1, a clamp ring 250 engages a post 251 to which it is clamped by means of a threaded rod 252 and its associated nuts 254 and 256. Rod 252 passes through bracket 246 and carries a nut 260 engaging bracket 246. A rod 262 pivotally engages a sleeve 264 carried by rod 252. Rod 262 passes through a bracket 268 which is secured to cam 212 and carries nuts 270 and 272 which engage bracket 268 on either side thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 4, four leaf spring finger members 280 each carrying a supporting block 282 are each secured to a block 284 which is pivotally secured as shown at 286 between flange members 288 and 290 fixedly secured to sleeve 166 (FIGURE 2). An extension coil spring 292 (FIGURE 8) connected to each block 284 and to a block 294 fixedly secured between flange members 288 and 290 biases each block 284 clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 4. A guide member 296 secured to frame 30 limits the outward travel of finger members 280 during a portion of their rotation. A cam follower roller 298 is connected to each block 284 by an arm 301 and the cam follower roller 298 is biased against a cam 300 by the action of spring 292.

OPERATION Assuming the parts to be in the positions shown in FIGURE 1, with the turret apparatus 20 being rotated clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1 by virtue of gear 32 rotating gear 34 which in turn causes the rotation of sleeves 36 and 166 and the mechanism associated therewith.

The pairs of fingers 162 and 190 which are adjacent the manifold 66 associated with magazine 26 and the pair of fingers 162 and 190 which are between this manifold and conveyor 2 each hold a circular 22. As the latter pair of fingers respectively come close to a bottle 4 on conveyor 2, the interaction of cam 300, roller 298 and spring 292 (FIGURE 4) is causing the adjacent finger member 280 and block 282 to be rotated by the rotation of block 284 into a position close to the bottle to which the circular 22 is to be delivered. When finger member 280 is closely following the fingers 162 and 190 with which it is cooperating, finger 190 is cammed away from finger 162 (FIGURE 11) by the engagement in this case of cam follower roller 210 with high point 212A of cam 212, FIGURES 11 and 18. This causes the circular 22 to drop as shown in FIGURES l2 and 13. Cam 300, having previously released cam follower 298, finger member 280 and block 282 acts to back up folder 22 if necessary to keep it from falling away from the bottle as it travels downwardly. As shown in FIGURES 14 and 15, circular 22 has dropped onto conveyor 2 and is closely followed or being urged to a position between the trailing portion of label and bottle 4. Block 282 is desirable in the event that circular 22 should tend to fall towards the turret apparatus before it is secured between bottle 4 and label 10. As shown in FIGURES 16 and 17, the circular 22 is now caught between label 10 and bottle 4. During the period immediately discussed, belt 14' has been rotating bottle 4 so as to wrap label 10 about the bottle. With the label urged in the position shown in FIGURES 16 and 17, the circular 22 is caught between label 10 and bottle 4 and is wrapped by the action of the rotation of bottle 4 between label 10 and the bottle to produce the finished product shown in FIGURE 19. As shown in FIGURE 20, only the end portion of label 10 bears an adhesive indicated at 10a and 10b, for example, a pressure sensitive adhesive, so that the area of the label 10 which overlies circular 22 will not adhere thereto. The operation of the fingers 190 actuated by cam 214 and cam follower 216 is identical except for the fact that they are actuated to release the circular by the engagement of follower 216 with high point 214A of cam 214.

In order to insure the prompt dropping of circular 22, and to provide for faster operation, it is desirable to employ the pusher member 224. As soon as a pair of fingers 162 and 190 release a circular 22, pusher member 224 is permitted to move downwardly by virtue of the low portion 240A of cam 240 in engagement with cam follower roller 238. The downward movement of pusher 224 is made positive by virtue of the engagement of pivoted cam 244 with cam follower roller 238 (FIGURE 11). The rotation of rod 226 is prevented by the engagement of yoke member 232 with post 202. The action of cam 240 causes the rapid upward movement of pusher member 224 after its downward push on circular 22.

As soon as circular 22 is positioned so as to be caught between bottle 4 and label 10, finger member 280 engages a cam face 304 on plate 14B (FIGURE 4) which causes the outer portion of follower member 280 to move rapidly to the left and entirely clear of the label on the bottle being worked on. Finger member 280 before it is released by cam 304 is engaged by guide member 296.

Shortly after each set of fingers 162 and 190 passes over the bottle 4, the associated cam follower and cam permit the associated spring 204 to again urge finger 190 against finger 162.

As previously discussed, the two sets of fingers 162 and 1 90 which are most advanced in their movement towards conveyor 2, each are carrying a circular 22. It will now be described how these pairs of fingers picked up their respective circulars by describing this action with respect to the other two sets of fingers. Again, referring to the position of the parts shown in FIGURE 1, each suction cup 70 has advanced into engagement with the next circulars to be removed from magazines 24, 26 respectively by virtue of the action of cam 44 and cam follower 46 which is translated through bracket 52 and rod 58 to the slide 64 carrying suction cup 70 associated with magazine 24 and through rod- 160 to the slide 64' associated with magazine 26-. As ring 196 rotates, it carries the set of fingers 162, 190 shown adjacent the magazine 24 past this magazine and towards magazine 26 with finger 190 biased away from its associated finger 162 by the action of portion 212B of cam 212 (FIGURE 18) on cam follower 210. At the same time the next pair of fingers 162, 190 are approaching the magazine 24. On the approach of finger 190 to magazine 24, it is moved from its associated finger 162 by the action of portion 214B of cam 214 on cam follower 216. Well prior to the arrival of the fingers adjacent the respective magazines 24 and 26, cam 44 acts on cam follower 46 to cause the withdrawal of suction cups 70 from magazines 24 and 26,

respectively. On the retraction of each of these suction cups 70 to the withdrawn position, cam roller 92 is engaged by lever 82 causing the camming of lever 82 towards suction cup 70 to position member 84 against the circular 22 (FIGURE 7) held by the suction cup to assist in holding the folds of the folded circular 22 against the suction cup. Immediately before the circulars are picked up, cam follower 46 moves to portion 44A of cam 44 to advance suction cups 70 and finger members 84 slightly to position circulars 22 close to finger 162, the initial positioning of suction cups 70 and finger members 84 providing for good clearance for the fingers 162 with respect to circulars 22 and the secondary position providing for alignment for a straight pickup without bindmg.

As will be seen by reference to the layout of cams 212 and 214 as shown in FIGURE 18, as the respective sets of fingers 162 and 190 closely approach the magazines 24 and 26, respectively, and the withdrawn circular 22 held by the suction cup 70 associated with these magazines, portion 214C of cam 214 permits the cam follower 216 adjacent magazine 24 to move inwardly at the urging of the associated spring 204 to permit the adjacent finger 190 to move towards the circular 22 and clamp it to the associated finger 162. Similarly, adjacent magazine 26 portion 2120 of cam 212 permits cam follower 210 to move inwardly at the urging of the associated spring 204 to cause the associated finger 190 to move towards the circular being presented at magazine 26 and to hold it against finger 162 and thereby withdraw it from the suction cup 70. Just prior to the withdrawal of a circular 22 from a suction cup 70, the portion 157A of cam 157 engages caim follower (FIGURE 5) and acts to connect manifold element 66 and 66' and suction cups 70 to atmosphere.

I claim:

1. The method of securing an article to a container comprising attaching to the container one end of an adhesive backed label having a back portion intermediate the label ends free of adhesive,

placing the article between the container and the back portion of the label free of adhesive,

wrapping the unsecured part of the label about the article and the container and securing the other end of the label to the container.

2. In combination with a conveyor for containers,

label transfer means for partially securing a label on each container by placing one end of a label on each container, and

means for wrapping the label about the container and about an axis substantially normal to the conveyor to complete the securing of the label on the container, the improvement comprising:

means to pick up an article and drop it between a container on the conveyor and a partially secured label on the container to provide for the securing of the article to the container between the label and the container.

3. In combination with a conveyor for containers,

label transfer means for partially securing a label on each container by placing one end of a label on each container, and

means for wrapping the label about the container and about an axis substantially nonmal to the conveyor to complete the securing of the label on the container, the improvement comprising:

article storage means, and

transfer means to pick up an article from the storage means and drop it into a position between a container on the conveyor and a partially secured label on the container to provide for the securing of the article to the container between the label and the container.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the storage means includes means to separate an article from the articles in the storage means and position it for pickup by the transfer means.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which the transfer means comprises a pair of fingers (mounted for movement in a path between the article storage means and the conveyor, and

means to close and separate the fingers to provide for the engagement of an article for transfer from the storage means to the conveyor and the discharge of the article to position it between the label and the container.

6. The combination of claim 5 having pusher means to urge the article downwardly on being released by the pair of fingers.

7. The combination of claim 5 having second finger means to prevent the article from falling away from the partially wrapped label and the container.

8. The combination of claim 7 having pusher means to urge the article downwardly on being released by the pair of fingers.

9. In combination with a conveyor for containers,

label transfer means partially securing a label on each container by placing one end of a label on each container, and

means for wrapping the label about the container and about an axis substantially normal to the conveyor to secure the label to the container,

the improvement comprising:

article storage means,

rotary means,

finger means carried by said rotary means, and

a cam follower secured to the finger means,

means including a cam adapted to engage said cam follower to close the finger means to pick up an article from the article storage means and to open the finger means to release an article between a container on the conveyor and a partially secured label on the container.

10. The combination of claim 9 having a second finger means to urge the article released by the first mentioned finger means into contact with the partially wrapped label and the container, and

means including a cam to control said second finger means.

11. The combination of claim 9 having pusher means mounted on the rotary means for movement parallel to the axis of the rotary means, and

means including a cam to control the pusher means to urge an article downwardly on being released by the finger means.

12. The combination of claim 9 in which the article storage means includes transfer means including a suction cup to transfer an article from the article storage means to the path of the finger means.

13. The combination of claim 12 in which the finger means comprises a fixed finger and a movable finger and having means to advance the suction cup and an article held by the suction cup towards the fixed finger when the fingers lie on either side of the article and immediately prior to the closing of the fingers to pick up the article.

14. The combination of claim 12 having means to hold an article against the suction cup.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,495,174 1/ 1950 McClatchie 156-451 2,814,269 11/1957 Stahr 156--572 X 2,858,954 11/1958 Tuthill 156493 2,910,205 10/1959 Kretschmer et a]. 156-297 X 2,926,808 3/1960 Long 156572 X 3,138,508 6/1964 Fairest 156-291 X EARL M. BERG'ERT, Primary Examiner.

H. F. EPSTEIN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

